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VA, cartoon school collaborate for art, therapy, expression

The anthology, entitled, 'When I Returned,' came out of a collaboration with the VA and the White River Junction Center for Cartoon Studies. It illustrates the experiences of Upper Valley veterans who've served all over the world.

The anthology, entitled, 'When I Returned,' came out of a collaboration with the VA and the White River Junction Center for Cartoon Studies. It illustrates the experiences of Upper Valley veterans who've served all over the world.

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Updated: 8:15 PM EDT Sep 23, 2016

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WEBVTT P>> THESE ARE IMAGES FROM MY PDEPLOYMENT. P>> COMICS THAT MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ PDREW TELL THE STORY OF HIS TIME PSERVING IN IRAQ. >> IS IS MY BUDDY DIED IN AN IED PBLAST. P>> IS JUST ONE IN TH PCOLLECTION. PHE SAYS BOTH THE CARTOONIST AND PTHE VETS GET SOMETHING OUT OF PTHE COLLABORATION. P>> I THOUGHT IT WOULD BENEFIT PVETERANS TO HEAR THEIR STORIES PTOLD AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD PBENEFIT THE CARTOON STUDENTS SO PTHEY COULD SEE ANOTHER PAPPLICATION OF THEIR SKI SET PBEYOND JUST THE PUBLISHING PWORLD. P>> ROB RODRIGUEZ WAS ONE OF THE PONLY WHO HELPED IMITATE HIS PSTORY. P>> YOU GET TO PRODUCE SOMETHING. PYOU HAVE A PRODUCT IN FRONT OF PYOU AND IT'S WITH A SPHERE OF PYOUR CONTROL WHEN YOU ARE IN THE PMILITARY, THIS SPHERE OF CONTROL PYOU HAVE IS VERY SMALL. P>> H SAYS WAR CHANGES PEOPLE. HE SAYS DOCUMENTING STORIES CAN PBE A WAY TO REFLECT AND MOVE PFORWARD.

VA, cartoon school collaborate for art, therapy, expression

The anthology, entitled, 'When I Returned,' came out of a collaboration with the VA and the White River Junction Center for Cartoon Studies. It illustrates the experiences of Upper Valley veterans who've served all over the world.

A comic that Michael Rodriguez drew, tells the story of his time serving in Iraq.

“This is my buddy Parker, he died in an IED blast,” Rodriguez said, gesturing to a page in his story. “He was just a few feet away from me,”

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It's just one part of a larger collection titled 'When I Returned.’ The anthology came out of a collaboration with the VA and the White River Junction Center for Cartoon Studies. It illustrates the experiences of Upper Valley Veterans who've served all over the world.

Cartoon studies director James Sturm said each tale is unique.

“They're inspiring, they're harrowing...the fact that so many vets are willing to share their stories seems so courageous,” Sturm said.

He said the book took around two years to make and spurred monthly cartooning classes at the VA hospital. He said both the cartoonists and the veterans get something out of the collaboration.

“I thought it would benefit veterans to hear their stories being told, and I thought it would benefit the cartoon students so they could see an application of their skill set beyond the publishing world,” Sturm said.

Rodriguez was one of the only participants who helped illustrate his story. He said for him, art is a form of therapy.

“You get to produce something. At the end of the day, you have a product in front of you, and it's in a sphere of your control, whereas when you're in the military, the sphere of control that you have is very, very small.” Rodriguez explained.